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The Bishops and other Padres were in the meeting room as Padre Fermin lectured about various sermons and how to maintain the Missions. Padre Federico sat at the very back, bored out of his mind. He cursed Padre Fermin and everyone in the Mission and hated the life that he believed he was forced to make. Padre Federico reminded himself that his position was limited and that he had some viable information to rid Bishop Victoriano of his position. 

It had been almost an hour since everyone listened to Padre Fermin, and he knew that it was going to take another hour. It was getting too much; Padre Federico excused himself among his other brothers. He made a lie that he wasn't feeling too well and apologized. Ensuring that the Bishops didn't see him, the Padre left the meeting room and immediately went to his room. With the door closed and locked, Padre Federico ensured to close his window with the wooden block.

Ensuring privacy, Padre Federico retrieved Bishop Victoriano's journal, which was hidden in a wooden chest containing other clothing he had used as a 'free man.' His palms became sweaty, and his heart was beating with excitement as he opened the journal. 

The first couple of entries were made during his youth, when Victoriano wrote about his dreams of traveling and leaving his homeland of Spain. Padre Federico rolled his eyes; the Padres of the Mission were from Spain, while others arrived from Baja California. Many Padres had dreams and aspirations of making something of their lives. Some of the Padres were either forced or chose to enter the priesthood. Padre Federico couldn't entirely despise the Bishop, as they shared similarities in their ambitions and goals. 

He continued reading the journal, and Padre Federico was amused to find out that the Bishop had a strained relationship with his parents, who wanted him to marry a woman of noble birth. "So, he was born in a noble family in Spain. He had it all and gave it for this filthy life." 

There was nothing that Padre Federico could use against the Bishop, and he thought of sneaking the journal back to the Bishop's room. However, he forced himself to continue reading until he got closer to the end of the journal. It was learned that the Bishop was once a Soldado de Cuera who guarded the building Mission San Diego de Alcalá. The information piqued the Padre's interest. He didn't know that the Bishop was a Soldado and continued reading. 

The following entry was made on January 10, 1762, where Bishop Victoriano mentioned meeting a woman named Mitena. "What?" The Bishop never mentioned meeting a woman before joining the priesthood. "Is there a possibility he was in love? Was she the reason he became a Padre?" 

Padre Federico was confused as he continued reading. In the entry, Bishop Victoriano wrote about how he and his fellow Soldados were guarding the Padres and ensuring that the Kumeyaay people were building the Mission San Diego de Acala. There was one time when Victoriano got ill with a fever. He described how terrible it felt, and the Padres told him he may survive. However, there was one person who refused to give up on healing him: Mitena. "Who is this Mitena?" He continued reading the entry:

"Cuando conocí a Mitena, la despreciaba a ella y a su pueblo. Sentía que su pueblo era la razón por la que me encontraba en esa situación. Que iba a morir. Grité obscenidades y la maldije a ella y a su pueblo. Ella no se alejó y siguió curándome. Por la gracia de Dios, me curé. (When I first met Mitena, I despised her and her people. I felt that her people were the reason I found myself in my predicament. That I was going to die. I screamed profanities and cursed her and her people. She would not stray away and continued to heal me. By God's grace, I was healed.)"

"How poetic. Reminds me of someone," Padre Federico mentioned. 

He continued reading, describing how thankful he was to Mitena, despite her hardly speaking to him. Bishop Victoriano couldn't help but be attracted to her stubbornness. He would try to speak and meet her, but Mitena would not give him the time of day. It fueled the youthful Bishop's motivation to try to get to know her. Padre Federico continued reading until he got to a particular entry:

23 de mayo de 1762

He intentado todo para hablar con ella, pero nada ha funcionado. Intenté ser un caballero, pero ella sigue negándose a hablar conmigo. Una noche, decidí seguirla, y ella se dirigía a un pozo para sacar agua para ella y su anciana abuela, hasta que dos soldados se le acercaron e intentaron violarla. Me invadió la rabia y detuve el ataque. Estaba en inferioridad numérica, pero Mitena me ayudó golpeando a uno de los soldados en la cabeza con una pesada piedra, matándolo al instante.

Pude dominar al otro, pero tuve que matarlo, o habría contado a mis comandantes lo que Mitena había hecho. No podía permitir que eso sucediera. Mitena estaba asustada, y yo también, pero no teníamos más remedio que marcharnos. Ella no quería, pero le informé de las consecuencias si no lo hacía; Mitena cedió. Juntos, nos fuimos y decidimos dirigirnos al norte. Necesitábamos empezar una nueva vida.

(May 23, 1762

I have tried everything to talk to her, but nothing has worked. I tried to be a gentleman, but she still refuses to talk to me. One night, I decided to follow her, and she was on her way to a well to fetch water for herself and her elderly grandmother, when two soldiers approached her and tried to rape her. I was overcome with rage and stopped the attack. I was outnumbered, but Mitena helped me by hitting one of the soldiers on the head with a heavy stone, killing him instantly.

I was able to overpower the other one, but I had to kill him, or he would have told my commanders what Mitena had done. I couldn't let that happen. Mitena was scared, and so was I, but we had no choice but to leave. She didn't want to, but I told her the consequences if she didn't; Mitena gave in. Together, we left and decided to head north. We needed to make a new life.)

Padre Federico stopped reading and fell into thought. The Bishop never mentioned meeting a woman, nor the fact that he was a Soldado. The more he thought about it, a realization came to him. "What if...no...it can't be." He continued reading, and many pages described their travels. Then there was the last entry:

20 de febrero de 1763

Hace tiempo que no escribo aquí. Quizás esta sea mi última entrada. Los gemelos han nacido. Son hermosos y preciosos, y haría cualquier cosa para darles un futuro brillante. No tenemos dinero, y trabajar para los rancheros no será suficiente para mantener a los gemelos. Además, como los gemelos son mestizos, no estarán a salvo por ninguna de las dos partes. Por eso he decidido hacerme sacerdote. Es la única manera.

Quiero darles un futuro mejor y protegerlos. Protegeré a mi familia.

(February 20, 1763

It has been a while since I have written here. This will perhaps be my final entry. The twins were born. They are beautiful and precious, and I would do anything to give them a bright future. We have no money, and working for rancheros will not be enough to support the twins. Also, since the twins are Mestizos, they will not be safe from either side. That is why I decided to become a priest. It is the only way.

I want to give them a better future and provide them with protection. I will protect my family.)

"F-Family!?" Padre Federico closed the journal as his mind was going all over the place. "Mitena? Twins? That means...?" He stilled with shock and excitement. His hands shook as he tried to hold the journal.

A sinister smirk formed on his lips. "It finally makes sense. Now, I have the means to rid of the old fool, but I will need more proof to ensure his downfall."